Hickory man dreams of park to honor Zahra Baker

Angie Smathers of Concord, N.C. places a bear at the base of the memorial for Zahra Baker at Drum Funeral Home on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 in Hickory, N.C. Zahra was reported missing Oct. 9 and authorities have called the case a homicide.

(AP Photo/The Daily Record, Robert C. Reed)

Published: Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 5:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 5:11 p.m.

HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — A Hickory man wants to build a park to honor the memory of a 10-year-old disabled girl who authorities say was dismembered after she died three months ago.

Rick Rozzelle said his park in honor of Zahra Baker would be a place where children with disabilities could play beside other kids. Baker needed a prosthetic leg and hearing aids after a battle with cancer.

"The idea came to me several months ago. I felt like this community needed to do something," Rozzelle told the Hickory Daily Record.

The community around Hickory has seen an outpouring of support for Baker since she disappeared in October. Investigators eventually found her remains scattered across several sites in the area after she was dismembered.

No one has been charged in her death. Her stepmother has been jailed after police say she wrote a fake ransom note discovered the day the girl was reported missing.

Rozzelle thinks he saw Baker briefly in a store just weeks before she died. But it's the pictures of her smiling despite all her struggles that he saw after she disappeared that keeps Rozzelle chasing his dream.

"Every time I see her smile, after all she's done and been through, I'm inspired," he said.

Rozzelle's first idea to honor Baker was some swing sets. But friends and fellow church members encouraged him to think bigger, and now he wants to have a park with ball fields and a full playground, all handicapped accessible.

"This is about her spirit and courage and smile, and wanting to give that to others," Rozzelle said. "Her memory will serve to inspire others. This is about preserving Zahra's spirit."

Supporters have created a Facebook page called "Let's build a park in Zahra's memory" with more than 300 members, including a post from Hickory mayor Rudy Wright pledging support.

Rozzelle isn't taking donations as he waits to make sure the group is properly set up.

What he could use the most is "a nonprofit organization or an attorney or an accountant to step up and help us with that so we can start collecting donations that we're having to turn down right now," Rozzelle told WCNC-TV.

Rozzelle plans on organizational meeting at the Hickory Golden Corral on Jan. 13 and he hopes to be joined by dozens that feel the way he does — that the park could be a step toward healing the pain the Baker case has caused.

"I felt like our community needed some kind of guidance and healing as well as the rest of the world," he said. "I just want to cover a scar maybe."

<p>HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — A Hickory man wants to build a park to honor the memory of a 10-year-old disabled girl who authorities say was dismembered after she died three months ago.</p><p>Rick Rozzelle said his park in honor of Zahra Baker would be a place where children with disabilities could play beside other kids. Baker needed a prosthetic leg and hearing aids after a battle with cancer.</p><p>"The idea came to me several months ago. I felt like this community needed to do something," Rozzelle told the Hickory Daily Record.</p><p>The community around Hickory has seen an outpouring of support for Baker since she disappeared in October. Investigators eventually found her remains scattered across several sites in the area after she was dismembered.</p><p>No one has been charged in her death. Her stepmother has been jailed after police say she wrote a fake ransom note discovered the day the girl was reported missing.</p><p>Rozzelle thinks he saw Baker briefly in a store just weeks before she died. But it's the pictures of her smiling despite all her struggles that he saw after she disappeared that keeps Rozzelle chasing his dream.</p><p>"Every time I see her smile, after all she's done and been through, I'm inspired," he said.</p><p>Rozzelle's first idea to honor Baker was some swing sets. But friends and fellow church members encouraged him to think bigger, and now he wants to have a park with ball fields and a full playground, all handicapped accessible.</p><p>"This is about her spirit and courage and smile, and wanting to give that to others," Rozzelle said. "Her memory will serve to inspire others. This is about preserving Zahra's spirit."</p><p>Supporters have created a Facebook page called "Let's build a park in Zahra's memory" with more than 300 members, including a post from Hickory mayor Rudy Wright pledging support.</p><p>Rozzelle isn't taking donations as he waits to make sure the group is properly set up.</p><p>What he could use the most is "a nonprofit organization or an attorney or an accountant to step up and help us with that so we can start collecting donations that we're having to turn down right now," Rozzelle told WCNC-TV.</p><p>Rozzelle plans on organizational meeting at the Hickory Golden Corral on Jan. 13 and he hopes to be joined by dozens that feel the way he does — that the park could be a step toward healing the pain the Baker case has caused.</p><p>"I felt like our community needed some kind of guidance and healing as well as the rest of the world," he said. "I just want to cover a scar maybe."</p>